Whenever I have comments on my answers that there is something wrong and possibly even downvoted, I try to correct what was incorrect and if the answer is beyond repair, or someone has given already the correct answer, I delete my answer.

But I see often users leaving their incorrect answers with -2 or -3 score.

Should I push in the comments for the users to delete the incorrect answer, or is this considered a bad behavior? - I will admit, sometimes I do want to get that "-1" rep back, but it's not just because of that.

In my opinion, they can lose rep if they want to.
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Qantas 94 HeavyApr 18 '14 at 1:37

@OneKitten Sure, but it also clutters the answers section.
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Leo NatanApr 18 '14 at 1:39

2

@Nope. They are at the bottom with the default ordering. You need to go past the better ones before reaching them.
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UmNyobeMay 1 '14 at 15:58

If I realize my own answer is incorrect, I will delete it. A while ago I posted a wrong answer, someone commented, and I realized that my code would actually do something totally unexpected, So I deleted it.
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JonasCzMay 10 at 13:09

2 Answers
2

Should I push in the comments for the users to delete the incorrect answer

I suppose this depends on how you define "push". However, the downvotes are normally a "push" enough. Leaving a comment with something like, "you may want to delete this answer to prevent more downvotes", isn't so bad. But beyond that, I would say it is bad practice. I sometimes do this if the person acknowledges that the answer was a poor one. Beyond that, I let the votes speak for themselves. After all, just because you believe it is a poor answer, doesn't mean others agree. Again, the votes will show that.

I will admit, sometimes I do want to get that "-1" rep back, but it's not just because of that.

Yes, it may seem silly to lose rep for pointing out mistakes by downvoting. However, this is only 1 point which you normally do get back. And if you are that worried about the one point then you should probably find a new hobby. This is how I used to feel but it is well worth it to keep the site clean.

But I see often users leaving their incorrect answers with -2 or -3 score.

I don't see this all that often. But when you and I do see it, so do others. This is typically enough for newbs to see that, "hey, you may not want to give this answer too much thought". So, use the rep you have gained and downote these "bad" answers so others may profit the way we have/do.

Please don't get me started on OCD. I've read your comment several times and I'm not sure why since I understood it after the first read :P
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codeMagicApr 18 '14 at 1:45

3

Don't forget that if an answer has 3 up-votes (+30) and 5 down-votes (-10), the net benefit from the answer to the user is still +20, even though the answer appears as -2 overall votes. So, people optimize their reputation by keeping such answers open. If you've got the reputation to do so, vote to delete answers with negative scores.
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Jonathan LefflerMay 1 '14 at 18:15

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@JonathanLeffler I don't think we want to delete any answer with a negative score, do we? Aren't we only suppose to delete if it is NAA? If it is technically an "answer" (although maybe not a good one) we shouldn't delete, right?
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codeMagicMay 1 '14 at 18:22

@codeMagic: Well, I'm not sure about it, but I sometimes nominate for deletion answer with a negative score that is also providing no benefit (in my estimation). I don't go hunting for such answers; I'll vote to delete if I'm reviewing the answers to a question and it seems appropriate. High rep users can still see the deleted answers. The newcomers and casual searchers won't see them, though, which is generally beneficial.
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Jonathan LefflerMay 1 '14 at 18:33

@JonathanLeffler I would like to delete some answers which suggest an approach which is widely agreed upon by people in that field to be bad but I refrain because it's been my understanding that we take the same approach as a mod meaning we don't delete them just because we think they are wrong. That is why we downvote and comment.
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codeMagicMay 1 '14 at 18:45

@codeMagic, if the approach is widely considered wrong, you should leave a comment explaining why. The answer and the comment together are then useful to the site.
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dfeuerJul 11 '14 at 0:49

@dfeuer I almost never downvote an answer without a comment. About the only time I don't comment is if someone else already has with something similar to what I would comment. Then I also upvote the comment.
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codeMagicJul 11 '14 at 0:52

Should I push in the comments for the users to delete the incorrect answer, or is this considered a bad behavior?

It depends from the answer. Sometimes, utterly wrong answers have the purpose to teach to users what they need NOT to do.
IMO, an attempt to answer, where the answer is not be as simple as "yes" or "no," could be kept for that reason. What should removed is the background noise, such as those answers where the user completely misunderstood the question.

IMO, between a wrong, down-voted answer and a wrong, up-voted answer, the latter is worse. It would make users understand the answer is someway correct, which would be very misleading.

I agree, up voted wrong answers are terrible. Not only that, but sometimes the appearance of up vote where there are 60 up votes and 40 down votes make it appear still as a good answer.
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Leo NatanApr 18 '14 at 4:35

1

That's what targeted critique comments are for, and why they should generally not be deleted (see, fallacy of the "comments as second class citizens" viewpoint)
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Chris StrattonMay 1 '14 at 17:05